Nine people have been arrested in connection with Tuesday’s deadly fire at a ski resort hotel in Turkiye, which claimed the lives of 76 people.
The arrests, confirmed by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on Wednesday (January 22), include the hotel owner, and authorities are raising concerns about the hotel’s safety measures. The fire, which is believed to have started in the restaurant area of the 12-storey Grand Kartal Hotel at the Kartalkaya ski resort in the Bolu Mountains, is now under investigation. The government has appointed six prosecutors to lead the probe.
The fire’s aftermath has drawn increasing criticism, with reports indicating that the hotel’s fire detection system failed to activate.
Survivors, among the 238 registered guests, revealed that no alarms went off during the fire, forcing them to navigate smoke-filled hallways in complete darkness. Panic ensued as guests attempted to flee, with some jumping from windows to escape the flames.
As of now, 45 victims’ bodies have been returned to their families, while DNA testing is being carried out to identify the remaining deceased.
“Our hearts are broken. We are in mourning,” the minister told reporters outside the hotel. “But you should know that whoever is responsible for causing this pain will not escape justice.”
Meanwhile, the hotel where the incident took place also issued a statement expressing sadness over the loss of lives. “We are cooperating with authorities to shed light on all aspects of this incident,” it said in the statement. “We are deeply saddened by the losses and want you to know that we share this pain with all our hearts.”
In response to the tragedy, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a national day of mourning on Wednesday.
